Name: Cuba protests: Millions without power: BBC Learning English from the News
Uploaded: 2026-03-18T16:45:14.000Z
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From BBC Learning English this is Learning English from the News, our podcast about the news headlines in this program Protests in Cuba as Millions without power.

In this podcast, we look at one big news story and the vocabulary in the headlines that will help you understand it.

You can find all the vocabulary and headlines from this episode, as well as a worksheet on on our website, bbclearningenglish.com so let's hear more about this story.

Five people were arrested in Cuba after a small protest destroyed the offices in the central city of Mauron overnight last weekend.

Cuba's Interior Ministry said these protests come as a reaction to electricity blackouts and shortages of food, fuel and medicine, which have been worsened by a US Blockade on oil.

Yes, a blockade happens when certain goods such as oil are stopped from coming into a place.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel said on Friday that no fuel had entered the country in three months.

The capital, Havana, has seen blackouts of up to 15 hours a day.

This has affected hospitals, public transport, education, rubbish collection and heavily impacted Cuba's economy.

Cuban Protesters Ransack Communist Office as Energy Crisis Deepens.

Cuban Protesters Ransack Communist Office as Energy Crisis deepens.

This headline is about the protest that was held at the entrance to the Communist office building on Friday.

It's been reported that the protest began peacefully but grew more destructive as people started throwing rocks and starting yes, and

the word we're looking at describes this kind of action.

The headline says that protesters ransacked the office.

Now to ransack is to search a place in a violent or careless way.

Burglars might ransack the place looking for valuables and leave it in a mess.

In this story, it's not mentioned whether protesters were looking for something in particular, but

we also use ransack to describe just breaking into something and causing destruction.

You can also use ransack in a less serious way to mean looking for something in an energetic or desperate way.

For example, I was late for work and I couldn't find my car keys, so I ransacked the drawers looking for them.

We've had ransack to search a place in a violent or careless way.

For example, the police ransacked the office looking for evidence.

This is Learning English from the News from BBC Learning English.

We're talking about the energy crisis in Cuba.

As we've discussed, Cuba has not received oil shipments since early January because of the US Blockade worsening the humanitarian and energy crisis.

Since the Cuban revolution in the 1950s, the US and Cuba have had a difficult relationship.

Sanctions and trade restrictions have been in place since the early 1960s.

Cuba was receiving a third of its oil from Venezuela until a US Operation removed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in January.

As the island nation experienced total darkness after its national power grid collapsed, US President Donald Trump made it clear that he wants a change in Cuba's leadership.

His he said on Monday that Cuba was in deep trouble as he threatened what he described as a friendly takeover.

This headline is from Al Jazeera, an international news organization.

Trump Threatens to Take Cuba as Ireland Grapples with Nationwide Blackout that headline again from Al Jazeera, Trump Threatens to Take Cuba as Ireland Grapples with Nationwide Blackout.

This headline mentions how President Trump says he'll take Cuba.

Yes, it adds that the island is currently grappling with a nationwide blackout.

What can you tell us about this phrasal verb?

Becca well, the verb to grapple means to physically hold onto someone with the intention of fighting or harming them.

For example, in sports, like wrestling, opponents will grapple with each other.

However, we can use it metaphorically to express dealing with or trying to understand a difficult problem or idea.

So right now Cuba is grappling with or trying to deal with these false blackouts.

We can also say that they're wrestling with these problems.

We can use grapple with for more everyday situations as well.

For example, I tried my best to grapple with the difficult maths problem.

We've had grapple with, try to deal with or understand a difficult problem or idea.

For example, many politicians are still grappling with the impacts of social media on young people.

This is Learning English from the news from BBC Learning English we're talking about the impact of the recent blockade of oil to Cuba by the US The Cuban government has been trying to improve the economy in the country.

As of Monday, Cuba has extended an invitation to Cuban Americans and other Cubans living abroad to invest in and own businesses on the island.

Yes, they're saying that the doors are open to this community.

Before, Cubans living on the island had been allowed to open and operate private businesses since 2021, but

Cubans living off the island were not permitted the same businesses.

More than 1 million Cubans have migrated from the island since 2021, and

so it is thought that there is a lot of business potential there.

If the change goes ahead, Cubans living abroad could fully participate in business activity which may help the economy.

This is from Reuters, an international news agency.

Cuba invites exiles to invest in businesses on the island.

This headline is about Cubans who have moved away from the island.

Yes, an exile is someone who has been sent away or leaves their own country, often for political reasons.

You might hear it in its verb form, to exile, which means to send someone away from a place.

We can also describe someone as being in exile, which means they've been sent or kept away.

For example, the opposition leader returned home as a hero after 10 years in exile.

We often hear the phrases forced exile, political exile and internal exile.

This is the forced relocation of a person to a part of their own country rather than being sent to another country.

Beyond the political meaning, you can also be exiled from something other than a country.

For example, you might be exiled from your family after a big disagreement we've had.

Exile someone who has been sent away or leaves a place, often for political reasons.

For example, he's been living as an exile for years after being threatened with arrest for his political views.

That's it for this episode of Learning English from the News.

We'll be back next week with another news story.

Try the worksheet on our website to test what you've learned.

BBCLearningEnglish.com and you can follow us on social media at BBC Learning English.